The Guilty by Wen Wen Yang/ Muted Dragon

Foreword

Her teeth clench. White noise fills her ears. A light screeching amid a vacuum is all Myst can make out. Abed, her body convulses. Struggling to breath, her chest rises and compresses in rapid succession. Sweat slips down her temples, entering her ebony hair. Her back arches in response to the pain while her eyes squeeze shut. Nostrils flare as she suppresses a scream.

This is not what she bargained for when she sent her powers into the ground, hoping to release them forever. No, it was the complete opposite. She had revealed more powers, each one ready to be used to protect the innocent. Among other abilities, she could now find those with power.

Her mind finally opens to the being. It is small, minute even. Myst gasps. This being is not yet born. It merely floats within its mother, calling for Myst’s aid. The being pulls Myst into its inferno. The dizziness and nausea is merely the initial discomfort. The burning pain through every developing muscle, every forming bone of the being spreads to Myst. Finally, she opens her mouth, and screams.

Save me, it calls out without a voice. It transmits a helpless feeling, like the whine of a bee caught in a jar. Only you can save me. Find me. Music plays in the background, fast paced. A few careless screams echo between each beat. The music blurs, letting the sound of gulping replace it.

The being releases Myst’s mind. Myst groans as she feels her body hit the mattress. She sits up and wipes her damp forehead with the back of her hand. Turning, she notices the sky purpling. She curses and pushes herself off the bed.

A knock on her door startles her. She grunts, “Yeah?”

The door creaks, letting the redhead pop his head into the room. “You screamed.” He frowns deeply, letting his gray eyes become stormy.

“Bad dream,” Setting her feet on the ground, Myst walks to her closet. “Do you know of any place around here with fast paced music and drinking?”

Phoenix frowns even deeper, if that is possible. The door gives in to his push. “What are you thinking?”

Myst growls and opens her closet, flicking on a bare light bulb in the process. “Someone needs my help in a place with fast paced music and drinking. Maybe alcohol,” Her hands slip between the fabrics. They are Phoenix’s clothes. Clothes for females always seemed too tight or too small for Myst though she is the size of an average teen (though she, like the others of the orphanage, is definitely not average). Besides, pink and skirts never appealed to her, so she didn’t bother go shopping. Phoenix’s closet always held the most comfortable clothing anyway.

“Stop,” Phoenix orders. Myst spins around in surprise. In a softer tone, he continues. “No.”

She narrows her dark eyes at his naivety. You cannot genuinely believe you can stop me by telling me ‘no’. She asks through her mind.

“Worth a try,” he shrugs off his error. “You wouldn’t fit in at a club.”

“As opposed to…?” Myst pushes his arms away and looks through her closet. “I just need something fairly normal. I’ll be back before you know it.” She twirls a finger. A moment later, Phoenix finds himself facing a corner. “If you turn around, I’m personally recommending desk duty to Jake.” Jake is the fire chief and seeing as Phoenix is considered a rookie at the firehouse, it was a plausible threat.

“I should go with you.” The hanger bangs against the back wall as its cargo is violently removed. The rustle of fabric against skin signals Myst’s preoccupation with something other than his question.

“Yeah, and the children can take care of themselves.” Her pants sigh as they hit the floor.

“What happened to the Myst who didn’t care about saving people?” Behind him, irregular thumping rocks the floor, followed by a zipper fitting into place.

“On the night of the Incident, she died.” There is a pause, as expected when visiting upon an old and unpleasant memory. “Before,” she starts abruptly in an attempt to change the topic, “we were limited in power, now we have enough power to do this.” A belt buckle slides into place, ticking metallically as it constrains its victim.

“So when you have enough power to kill without any consequences, you would kill?”

Myst doesn’t pause to think. “Yes.”

Phoenix shifts uncomfortably in his corner. “You can call me if you need any help.” He taps his temple. They have had a Connection since they met and the so-called Incident had brought them closer. Afterwards, Phoenix was able to sense her emotions. On the day of Myst’s evaluation report with the Board, Phoenix was a nervous wreck, while Myst had been the picture of calm. Later, Myst became more attentive to her emotions.

“Alright, don’t wait up.”

“That’s unlikely.” Phoenix smiles as he turns around. The empty room answers back in a calm hum. Myst is already gone.

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